Spring clips for cards or the like



April 24, 1962 N. PHILLIPS 3,030,681

SPRING CLIPS FOR CARDS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOP NICHOLAS PHILLIPS ATTORNEY April 24, 1962 N. PHILLIPS 3,030,681

SPRING CLIPS FOR CARDS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVt'NTO/P NICHOLAS PH/LL IPS Vwz 562% ATTORNEY 3,336,581 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 3,030,681 SPRING CLIPS FOR CARDSOR THE LIKE Nicholas Phillips, 6 Alionsius Drive, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Get. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 845,244 4 Ciaims. (Cl. 24.-81') This invention relates to an improved spring clip especially adapted to being constructed fromplastic materials or the like.

The spring clip of the invention is adapted for many uses and includes means'facilitating-its detachable mounting on a Christmas tree limb' whereby Christmas cards may be readily supported'forthe purpose of decoration or the like.

A primary object of'this invention is to provide a sprmg clip including cooperating portions formed integral with a pair of cooperating lever members.

A more particular object of the invention is to'provide a spring clip which has a leaf spring and pivotal fulcrum formed integral with cooperating lever members including jaw and finger-engageable portions.

A further object of the invention is to provide clamp means for retaining a card on the novel spring clip in which said clamp means is formed integral with at least one of the jaws.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be come apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing there is shown several preferred embodiments of the invention. In this showing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the spring clip of the invention showing in phantom lines fragmentary portions of a tree limb and card with which the clip cooperates;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation with a portion broken away for clarity and showing by direction arrows how the clip is operated;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIGURE 2 showing a detail of the pivotal fulcrum of the novel clip;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary front elevation looking from left to right at FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the novel clip;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of still another embodiment of the spring clip; and

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the spring clip lever members pressed together subsequent to placing the clip on a tree limb.

Referring to the drawings in detail and first considering FIGURES 15 and 8, the spring clip of the invention is indicated generally at 10 and Will be constructed of any suitable material such as a plastic orthe like. The clip 10 comprises overlying elongated lever members indicated generally at 12 and 14 which are flattened transversely. The lever members include a transverse intermediate pivotal fulcrum indicated generally at 16.

The lever members 12 and 14 respectively include complementary similarly formed semi-circular jaw portions 18 and 20 extending away from the pivotal fulcrum 16. The jaws 18 and 21 respectively continue from the fulcrum 16 in diverging finger-engageable lever portions 22 and 24. The lever portion 24- has formed integral on the inner surface 26 thereof a transverse leaf spring 28 which extends angularly from its reinforced base 30 toward the inner surface 32 of the finger-engageable lever portion 22 of the member 12 where it engages transversely thereacross as indicated at 34.

The pivotal fulcrum 16 comprises portions formed integral with members 12 and 14 and includes coaxial resilient spring hooks 36 and 38 extending integrally, upwardly and outwardly from the side edges 40 and 42, respectively of the intermediate portions of the lever member 14. The lever member 12 has formed integral with its side edges 44 and 46, respectively, coaxial trunnion elements 48 and 50 respectively received in the spring hooks 36 and 38.

By observing FIGURES 2 and 8, it will be observed that movement of the finger-engageable portions 22, 24 against the action of the leaf spring 28 will bias the jaw 18, 2d apart about the fulcrum 16 whereby the spring clip may be engaged on a limb L.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 5 there is shown on the jaws 18 and 20 card clamp means indicated generally at 52. The card clamp means may be formed integral on one or both jaws and are similar so the description of one appears to be sufficient. As seen in FIGURE 2 the card clamp means comprises a pair of jaws 54 and 56 integral at their base 57 with the outer surface of the jaws 18 and 20 and normally disposed in spaced relation at 58. The jaws may be biased apart to receive a card C or the like therein when the clip is disposed on limb- L as seen in FIGURE 1.

Considering FIGURE 7, the clip is indicated generally at 19 and is indicated as identical in all respects with that previously described except the jaw 20 includes clamp means 52 identical with that previously described and jaw 18' is modified so the clamp means 52' is at right angles to the clamp means 52.

Considering FIGURE 6, the spring clip is similar to the previously described embodiments except the spring clip 10" includes in the lever members 12' and 14 apertures 60 and 62 to facilitate the hanging of the spring clip on a hook H. Additionally the jaws 18" and 20 do not include the previously described clamp means 52 and the jaws terminate in normally juxtaposed, flat terminal end portions 64 and 66, respectively, for retaining cards or papers P therebetween.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described are to be taken as the preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be made as do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A spring clip for displaying Christmas cards on a Christmas tree consisting of two substantially flat, plastic, juxtaposed lever members, said lever members including an intermediate transverse line of engagement forming a pivotal fulcrum portion, said lever members including complementary overlying jaw portions diverging from said line of engagement in one direction and finger-en gageable portions diverging in the opposite direction from said line of engagement, one of said finger-engageable portions including an intermediate spring element longitudinally spaced from said pivotal fulcrum portion and in engagement with an opposed portion of said other finger-engageable portion and normally biasing said jaw portions together about said line of engagement, said pivotal fulcrum portion comprising integral, wire-like, resilient hooks extending from extreme side edges of one of said lever members, beyond said line of engagement and above an inner surface portion thereof, and in alignment with said line of engagement, said resilient hooks including co-axial journal portions above said inner surface portion, said other lever member including integrally molded, co-axial trunnion elements projecting from opposite extreme side edges of said other lever member, beyond said line of engagement and journaled in said coaxial journal portions.

2. A spring clip for displaying Christmas cards on a Christmas tree consisting of two substantially flat, plastic, juxtaposed lever members, said lever members including an intermediate transverse line of engagement forming ,a pivotal fulcrum portion, said lever members including complementary overlying jaw portions diverging from said line of engagement in one direction and finger-engageable portions diverging in the opposite direction from said line of engagement, one of the said finger-engageable portions including an intermediate integral spring element longitudinally spaced from said pivotal fulcrum portion and in engagement with an opposed portion of said other finger-engageable portion and normally biasing said jaw portions together about said line of engagement, said jaw portions each including integral means on opposite outer surface portions thereof for removably clamping the edge 01E a Christmas card, said means'comprising pairs of opposed, spaced flexible clamp elements projecting laterally in opposite directions from the outer surface portions of said jaw portions, said pairs of clamp elements defining opposed outwardly opening spaces on opposite sides of said jaw portions, said pivotal fulcrum portion comprising integral, Wire-like, resilient hooks extending from extreme side edges of one of said lever members, beyond said line of engagement and above an inner surface portion thereof and in alignment with said line of engagement, said resilient hooks including co-aXial journal portions above said inner surface portions, said other a lever member including integrally molded, co-axial truna &

nion elements projecting from opposite extreme side edges of said other lever member, beyond said line of engagement and journaled in said co-axial journal portions.

3. The structure of claim 2; said opposed outwardly opening spaces being disposed in angular relation with respect to each other.

4. The structure of claim 2; said opposed outwardly opening spaces being disposed in substantially coplanar relation with respect to each other.

8 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 D. 141,638 Oen June 19, 1945 104,654 Searles Ian. 21, 1870 251,853 Ewing Ian. 3, 1882 281,543 Mayo July 17, 1883 363,525 Lipp May 24, 1887 20 364,915 Gilliland June 14, 1887 498,569 Petterson May 30, 1893 637,008 Milks Nov. 14, 1899 1,916,856 Copeman July 4, 1933 2,500,391 -Weaver et al Mar. 14, 1950 25 FOREIGN PATENTS 461,172 France Oct. 23, 1913 367,486 Germany J an. 22, 1923 569,910 7 France Jan. 11, 1924 214,371 Australia Apr. 16, 1958 

